Impossible Child
by nyteangelofdarkness
Summary: Two years had quickly passed for the Doctor after he left Rose and his double on the beach and yet an impossible being knocks on his door.
1. Chapter 1Universe 1

Cardiff again. The Doctor's hands paused as the TARDIS landed harshly, jolting. She had to be refueled after all she'd been through lately. Mainly helping to restore the universe right once again. He had nearly forgotten to stop for her until she sent rather sharp and painful reminders. They had been floating in the vortex for nearly three Earth years without stop. He hadn't wanted to stop again, at least until he felt strong enough to face Earth once again.

Rose.

He sighed and fell into the jump seat and closed his eyes. He had done the right thing, sending her away with his duplicate. His hearts disagreed.

A knock at the wooden doors snapped him out. The Doctor slowly walked down the ramp, rage gathering with each step as he prepared to tell whoever was on the other side to shove off.

"What do you want! Can't a man have a bit of time alone!" he yelled out as the door to the TARDIS swung in. No one was there. The Doctor scratched at his head then looked down at the sound of a drawn in painful breathe.

Below on the concrete ground sat a small sobbing girl leaning against the side of the TARDIS. Rose's voice sounded in his head '_Help her_' she said. Rassilion know that she would have

"Oh little one, what's wrong?" he asked and bent down.

Tear stained brown eyes turned to him and slowly blinked away the tears. Her pale skin was turned red raw and her dirty blonde hair had come loose from the tail. She was small, no older than seven and sat holding her right arm which seemed to have been cut up and bleeding.

"Where am I?"

"Wellll little one, I think I can help with that. Where should you be?"

She snuffled. "Home."

The Doctor smiled kindly. "And where would home be?"

"London."

Impossible. "But we're in Cardiff."

Tears streamed down her cheeks again.

"Oh, oh please don't cry."

More sniffles and a disgusting snort followed by her wiping an arm across her nose. "Sorry Mr."

"Don't be sorry little one. Let's just try and get you home and patch up that cut. Right?" she nodded slowly. "Ok how about you come with me and we shall find your parents." The Doctor rose and paused before he opened the doors to the TARDIS. The girl slowly stood and stared up at him.

"Mr." she said slowly. Her tears stopping and the remains rubbed away. "That's just a box."

"Well I came out of it in the first place didn't I?"

She paused then stepped forward. The Doctor stepped inside and felt the TARDIS light up at the feel of young feet treading across her ramp. The small girl gasped and stared all around the console room. Her eyes widened and slowly spun around taking everything in.

The Doctor smiled wide and jumped to the computer quickly setting up a search for a person of this era.

"So little one I just need your name and I can get started on this search."

"Cassandra. Cassandra Tyler."

Hands stilled over the keys and levers. It was nothing, he had to remind himself. Just another name. A popular name at that.

"Hello Cassandra. I am the Doctor." He paused to collect the right words before continuing. He looked down at the little girl standing next to him. Her fear and confusion seemed to have faded and a sense of calm had settled in. This little girl, she was too calm though, walking in here with no questions, too trusting. "So tell me Cassandra, did your mother tell you to not talk to strangers?"

"Of course. But Mr. Doctor you look like someone from mum's photos."

Impossible kept flashing across his mind. His fingers found the keys again but the search turned up nothing.

"You said you lived in London? Do you have any siblings?"

"Yep," her p popped. "I have four brothers."

"What are their names?"

She walked up next to him and attempted to look up at the screen, her little hands grasping onto the edge of the control panel. "Jack and Michael and Ian and John. But mum calls John J.J. because she said that was what da's name was."

"Oh." The Doctor trailed off then looked down at the deep brown eyes that focused on him. "Was?"

A nod. "Yep," another pop.

"And what was your mother's name?"

"Mum."

He cocked his head and smirked. "Now, now little one. What was your mother's name?"

"Mum," she insisted. The stubborn look on her face quickly cemented in place.

The Doctor leaned down and looked her straight in the eyes then glanced down at her arm. She didn't seem to want to budge on one aspect so on to the other. The large scrape looked to be healing but it would still benefit from a trip to the infirmary.

"How about we clean that up?"

Cassandra looked down at her arm and shrugged. "It's fine."

"I insist. Let me take a look at it. Follow me to the infirmary and we can get it patched up."

She pouted but followed him through the halls of the TARDIS. The Doctor watched from the corners of his eyes at the girl. Cassandra's eyes wondered and took everything in without a sound. No gasps or awes or questions that usually followed a trip through the TARDIS. She followed behind the Doctor through all the twists and turns in silence. The infirmary door was open when they reached it, fully stocked as usual.

"How about you jump onto that chair and I'll patch you up and run through some basic tests." The Doctor pointed to a medical chair sitting in the center. Cassandra nodded and jumped up onto the chair, kicking her legs back and forth.

"First the patch," he muttered. He took some Gardian salve known for its speedy healing then bent down to spread it over her skin.

A hard jolt shocked his system at the first touch of her skin. Lights changed all around him as in an instant he could hear and feel her thoughts. Her fear and pain masked like she was told. Her need for secrets and to keep this feeling contained, the pressure she felt holding in her mind. His own telepathic links frayed and damaged over the years without another telepath to connect with lit up and rapidly latched to the young fresh mind.

Cassandra cried out and held her head in her hands, her eyes firmly shut. The pair sat there for a moment before her little whispers forced the Doctor to stamp down the euphoric feeling of some connection. He withdrew as slowly as he could without ripping the connections apart.

"It hurts Mr."

He drew in a deep breath and thought impossible.

"Nothing is ever impossible," a woman's voice floated through his mind, through Cassandra's mind.

_Rose_.

Impossible.

"Cassandra. Where are you from, really? How did you get here?"

She sighed then looked up with her brown eyes. "London. I was in mummy's office and…" she trailed off then began to blubber. The Doctor rubbed at his temples and pulled her hands into his. The connection attempted to re-establish once again but he used all his might to push it down, only maintaining a clinical and surface level. Her recent memories quickly flashed before his mind and he stopped at her last clear memory.

An office setting became clear. Papers, desks and formulas on the walls surrounded the small child.

"Cassandra where are you."

"In mummy's office."

"How did you get here?"

A large red button flashed quickly then disappeared just as fast.

"She told me not to but I did."

The Doctor dropped her hands and ran a hand through his hair. She had pushed the big red button and ended up here. In another dimension.

"Oh Cassandra, Cassandra, Cassandra," he muttered out slowly and shook his head. His hands dropped hers and he reached around for his stethoscope then held it in his hands. This had to be impossible. He had tried for years to reach a small connection to the other side before Rose and the others crossed over, later leaving Rose and his duplicate in the other dimension. After they left his research has been left to gather dust. Nothing had ever come up before. This had to be impossible and yet there sat a small little girl with unmistakable telepathic powers which he hadn't seen since the day he destroyed Gallifrey.

"May I?" he asked finally, showing her the object. At her nod he confirmed his suspicions. Left side held a stable heartbeat. Right side too.

"Cassandra," he paused to find the right words and his hand through his hair again. She looked up at him with a confused and terrified look. "You aren't human are you?"

Her eyes widened. "Mum said no one can know."

The Doctor sighed in relief. "Do you know what you are?"

She nodded. "Mum said I'm a Gallifreyan, right?"

He smiled wide and nodded. "Oh yes, yes you are little one. Brilliant, just brilliant aren't you?"

"Mr. Doctor? Can you get me home now?"

He drew back. Could she go home? "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry little one but I can't get you home."

"Can't go home?" She started to tear up again but snuffled them away.

Her mind was tired and worn from the journey, being alone in a strange world and then being bombarded with everything. Slowly he re-established the link and focused on calming her, soothing the reddened strands surrounding her. Her eyes closed and sighed as she felt the healing. The Doctor took that moment to lift the small girl into his arms than sit back down on the chair with her tucked in his arms. It had been centuries upon centuries since he had held a child like this. Only once had he had the opportunity to hold one of his children like this. Cassandra rubbed at her eyes then turned her head into his chest. A small hand grasped firmly onto his shirt. He gently placed ran a hand through her loosened hair then rested on her back holding her close.

"No Cassandra," he finally said. "I can't get you home. But you can stay here is that alright?" He could never let her from his sight. She really was the impossible. Cassandra Tyler had crossed over and had landed at his door.

"Mr. Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Can I see Mummy? I miss her. Mummy needs me too."

His hearts broke. She could never be returned home. Never see her mother, father or brothers again. She would never see the rest of her family. Damn them for not destroying the cross-universe technology. Damn her curiosity. Damn himself.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I can never get you home."

Her head shuffled against his chest as she nodded. Silence spread through the room and neither could speak but he could tell she was grieving. Slowly her tears returned again then built up to chest deep sobs. Throughout the sobs, it was all he could to hold her tight and attempt to sooth her mind which had begun racing with memories of her family. Flashes of days and nights, of people didn't know and a few he did. An hour or so passed before her breathing evened out. Her grip loosened on his shirt and yet the tear stains dried up before he could stand. He had sat there and just laid his head over hers, stroking her loose hair and back just feeling the warmth of the little girl.

The TARDIS eventually nudged in his mind and insisted on letting her sleep elsewhere. She twisted the halls before he walked from the infirmary settling on his private wing of the ship. A room appeared next to his and the door swung open in invitation. Inside the TARDIS had made quick work to accommodate their new guest. She had approved, he figured. A small child's bed was placed in the middle of the room which was delicately decorated in the colours of his home. A soft red splashed across the ceiling and faint painted mountains surrounded the walls, the bed was small and encased in golden and red blankets.

He muttered under his breath about pushy ships before laying her out gently on the tiny sized bed. Tucking her in the Doctor smoothed her blonde hair for a final time. Cassandra sighed and grasped the blankets surrounding her. She would be alright. She was Rose's daughter, the Valiant child's child. She was the impossible child and yet here she was. The Doctor rose and slowly padded out of the room. Impossible had met its match.


	2. Chapter 2Universe 1

Impossible. Cassandra's eyes fluttered open and knew something was wrong. It was quiet. Too quiet. She pulled the softer than normal covers over her head then listened for her brothers. Normally JJ and Ian would be running around their home screaming and yelling. Jack would be padding around the home waiting to trip up the other two and Mickey would be stuck to their mum's side. She wanted to stay under the covers but she knew her mum would be sending the boys to pound on her door and wake her up. It would be time for school, something that she was never impressed about. Sometimes she wished she was like Ian, JJ and Mickey who could sit in school and pay attention, getting the lessons but school for her was slow and boring. Sometimes she wondered if she was surrounded by stupid people. Jack had been pulled out of normal school years ago and put in a special school and Cassandra couldn't wait till her mum let her join.

They were different, Jack and her. Mum had told her years ago that they were. They were like their father she said. Smart, too smart for their own good she would mutter sometimes. Cassandra frowned and squeezed her eyes, waiting for the sharp pain of her brothers jumping on her. Jack never would though; he was too old for that.

Maybe her mum would let her go to work, she mused. Days she went to Torchwood were the best days. There were so many fun things and smart people. Things made sense there.

It was still impossibly quiet with the exception of a low rhythmic and yet comforting hum. She ventured a peak from the covers.

Red was what she noticed first. Her room wasn't red. Mum's was but hers was a purple and pink. The normally bright sun that poured through her large windows wasn't there. Instead soft lights lit the larger than normal room.

She wasn't home she remembered. Cassandra bit at her lip to hold back the tears again. Her chest still hurt from last night. She touched her face which was red and raw. It was her fault wasn't it? She had touched mum's button in her locked cupboard. It had all sorts of no touch signs over it but it called to her. It drew her in, the lights she saw converged on the large button. She had touched it and the breath had been sucked from her body. Her body felt funny, like it had changed inside and breathed differently. Lights surrounded her and made her head hurt, voices so many voices came and just as quickly left as she landed on the pavement.

The lights stopped at the handle to the large blue box she now sat beside. Cassandra snuffled as she remembered how much she cried. Her brothers would have made fun of her for crying like a little girl. She didn't cry. JJ cried a lot more than she ever had. But she had cried so much. It had hurt then she realized she wasn't in mum's office. Something just felt wrong really wrong.

She realized what it was now. She couldn't feel her mum or Jack in her mind. Normally a light heat surrounded their ribbons that surrounded her but her mind was empty. She was cold and alone.

Cassandra grabbed for the blankets again and tried to warm the cold that had begun to seep into her again. Tears threatened to spill over again but she stomped it down. Mum wouldn't cry. She had told them all about her travels with friends and their father. The Doctor her mum called him, their father although everyone else said his name was John.

Her father. Mum had always kept a lot of pictures in her room with him. Cassandra had never met him of course. He had died before she was born. Jack had said she was mummy's tummy when he left. Left. No he didn't leave her brothers said, mostly Jack though, he had died. Jack was nearly six when their father died and the only one with any real memories of him. Jack always told her the same day he died, they all had. Jack, Father and Mum, and her too she guessed. It had changed Jack and Mum. It was why the pictures of mum from before were different from the mum she knew.

Her mum was a beautiful woman either way. Still smaller and thin yet more curvy, the main difference was in her face. It was more angled and unblemished. Her hair was long and thick and a pretty cherry brown, at least that's what she called it, and her eyes were a bright blue. Cassandra had always wished she had her mum's pretty eyes and hair. She looked more like her father, her mum and grandmum said. Her blonde hair kept getting darker and her eyes were brown like all her brothers.

Something changed.

Cassandra blinked quickly and grabbed for her head as a new feeling entered her mind. Something just lightly touched the outer edges but it was so cold. The blue colour bled into her normally red and gold, turning everything an icy cold. It quickly left at her reaction, leaving her void once again.

A knock came. No one knocked in her home.

"Hello?" she asked. Her voice was raw and hurt. She repeated it louder and the door slowly opened.

The man from the night before poked his head through the door. Cassandra giggled at the messy hair and his frazzled look. The glasses were new, she noted.

"Well hello, little one," he said. The door fully opened and he lazily leaned against the doorway. She looked him over and was shocked again at how much he looked like the man in nearly all her mum's photos. He looked like her father.

"Hello," she repeated.

"Do you remember anything from yesterday?"

She nodded. "I touched mum's button and landed outside your box." She paused and clutched the sheets beneath her fingers. "Thanks for letting me sleep here Mr."

He tilted his head and smiled crookedly. "How about we get you fed? A good breakfast is needed for a little one like you."

She nodded and slipped from the bed. Cassandra attempted to smooth her rumpled jeans and shirt the best she could and walked behind the man. The Doctor he had told her before.

Outside her door was a large hall. It looked very spacey. She had never seen anything like it and yet she felt welcomed, she felt at home.

The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets and silently lead Cassandra down the halls to the kitchen. The TARDIS had yet again shifted back after she had fallen asleep. The kitchen was bright as they walked in and he stood in the doorway and watched the small girl.

Cassandra stepped inside the kitchen and sighed as she spotted a bowl of bananas on the counter. She lunged over and grabbed two before taking a seat at the table. The Doctor walked over and took a seat across from her, staring at her.

"You know it's rude to stare," she said then took a large bit of her banana.

"You know it's rude to eat with your mouth open."

She giggled and took another bite, waiting to finish before speaking. "I don't often. My brothers do though. Ian is nasty. He usually eats things then sticks his tongue out and it looks all gross."

The Doctor placed his elbows on the table and held his head in his hands. Quickly the bananas were gone and she leaned back to look at him.

"I can't see them again can I? You said I couldn't last night."

He shook his head slowly. "Nope," popping the p. "I'm sorry, little one."

She shrugged. "It was my fault. I touched the button even though mum put all those signs up. I just wish…" she trailed off.

The Doctor froze. He didn't think he could deal with that much crying two days in a row. But quickly she blinked and smiled then copied his position.

"So Mr.—"

"Doctor," he corrected. "Call me Doctor."

"Doctor," she tested. "So where am I going to stay now?"

"Here. You can stay here until I figure a way to get you home."

"But you said…"

"Not right now I can't help you but I'll very hard to get you back to your parents and brothers."

Cassandra didn't answer but remained silent. She was taking things in, he realized. She was dealing very well with the situation but with Rose and the other Doctor as parents she had to have been exposed to things like this.

"I don't have parents, just my mum," she corrected.

"Oh."

Thousands of questions ran through his mind at that. He had ignored the comment last night, she had been irrational but it must have been true.

"Where did he go?"

"He died."

The Doctor leaned back and ran his hands over his face then through his hair. Oh Rose…

"Did you know him?"

"You could say that, we knew each other for forever. Your mum and I were good friends too. Rose Tyler is her name right? And your grandmother Jackie and grandpa Pete, right?"

Cassandra nodded slowly. So he did know her family. He knew she wasn't human too…

"Doctor. You knew I'm not human. Are you?"

"Not human?"

"Yep."

"Yes."

"Oh. Are you what I am?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Doctor, was that you in my mind? The blue?"

The Doctor scrunched up his face shifted in the chair. So she really was telepathic as well. Her mind was developed quite well considering she had limited contact with other telepathic beings. Walls were quickly built when he tested earlier and she held fast when he attempted to slip past them. The feel of another telepath nearly sent his own mind into a state that morning. So hard to control his light touch on her fragile mind.

"Yes. Cassandra, does anyone else in your family talk with their mind?"

_Jack and Mum_. She answered swiftly in his mind. Her connection slipped in easily past his initial barriers and settled a warm light in his mind.

"Do you know where you are little one?"

She shook her head.

"You are in Cardiff about five years in your past and in another universe. That button that you pushed carried you across the Void just like it had your mother years ago."

The gears in her brain moved quickly as she processed the information.

"Mum was from here?"

"And your grandmother and father too."

"And what is this box?"

"It's a TARDIS. A Time -."

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space?"

"Smart girl."

"I know."

"Do you know what it does?"

She shook her head.

The Doctor stood and held his hand out. The smaller hand quickly slipped into his and he lead her through the halls and into the console room. The TARDIS hummed her delight. She was refueled and happy to get going.

"It's so big," Cassandra muttered. She dropped his hand and walked around the large circular panel with so many buttons and levers and screens.

"It can travel in time and space. Anywhere and anywhen."

Cassandra paused her inspection and looked up. The Doctor's face had lit up and she bit her lip.

"Can it really?"

He ran to the control panel and flipped from switches and levers.

"How about a quick trip to show you how it's done?"

Cassandra nodded and jumped onto the large white seat. "Sounds great."

The impossible had been broken in her mind, why not blow it open?


	3. Chapter 3Universe A

_Hello everyone and sorry for the mix up. I accidently posted the wrong chapter but violia here is the correct 3rd chapter. I had originally planned to have these two stories run side by side for the most part but rather than make you jump between two I have separeted them into Universe 1 which follows the Doctor and Cassandra while Universe A follows Rose and her family. This way one can choose to read either Universe 1 and A seperatly or together. So sorry for the fix up (I tend to write and post around 1 am so things dont always work out) and thanks for all who have read so far and any comments would be much appriciated! Good reading everyone!_

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><p><em>June 2016<em>

A warm summer day greeted Helios as he ambled across the vast lawn. His feet nearly tripped over themselves and he fell ungracefully on the lawn.

"You impossible rat-ass bastard," he pointed to the Doctor, John, who remained silent. "How the hell do you expect me to follow you? Huh? You just had to go and be so bloody god-damn pig headed didn' ya? Huh?"

Helios dug into one of the bags he had carried over and drew out a whisky bottle and took a swig.

"I told you that I was going to drive them. You were supposed to be in bed and asleep god damn it you were in no condition to drive! But no, I bloody well turn around to grab something and you peel out with Rose and Jack. It was my job to help out. It was my job to drive your damn wife around. It was my damn job to keep you and your family safe! You, Doctor, made me fail! Again! It wasn't enough for my own people to exile me on Earth for my failure but you go and undermine my own punishment and make me fail my punishment for failing! Oh and don't you go correcting my damn speech, I'm too goddamn drunk to care."

Helios sighed and shuffled around to lean against the large grey stone. The grave yard was still on the Wednesday evening. The fire elemental drew out a bottle of wine and opened it.

"Well I guess I didn't come here to yell at your old bones again Doc. I've come here for a toast."

Helios paused and circled the bottle of whisky in his hand.

"Rose said she's pregnant, old man. Said she knew before the accident. Little girl this time. Enough with the boys, eh? Four is enough for one woman to handle even with the help she has."

He paused and leaned his head back against the cold stone, sighed.

"Not going to lie, Doc, I wish you had known about her. I know you two always wanted a little girl. All golden hair and curls you said during out drinks for Ian I think, maybe JJ. God it's been so long ago. Not long enough though. You never got to see them into their teens, did you old man? I had a good two hundred years with my own before they were slaughtered for my errors."

Another swig.

"Here you go old man, for the toast," Helios paused and drained the bottle of wine over the grave then threw it with a heavy thud on the thick turf grass.

It had been only a few months since Helios, the exiled Heliosentrian, had buried his best friend. Goddamn how hard that had been. His insides tore up each time he brought up that day. That damn day.

Helios clenched his first in the dirt and took one more large drink. The drink warmed his throat, tickled and he heated up inside. The fire burned within. Red eyes looked about the cemetery for a soul and when only the silent ones remained he pulled off his shirt and allowed his true nature out. His skin heated up and a low flame grew around his body warming him to a comfortable level. Holding in his flame, taking on a human appearance left his body, his heart and soul cold. Wasn't sure how these humans did it. But Helios had adapted over the years, learnt to tolerate it.

It was hard in the beginning. Landing on this strange planet after being discharged from his position in the army, shunned from his family, witness to his wife and children's hanging and exiled from his planet in totally shame. By the luck of the gods someone from Torchwood had rescued him from his shuttle.

He had awoken in a Torchwood quarantine room. A few days had passed from what he could tell. They had been nice to him, giving fresh food and water and clothing. When they realized he was awake they sent him in…the Doctor.

He had been introduced as Dr. John Tyler. The crazy haired human-alien had explained his own story to try and related to the uprooted alien. It was then Helios had marked the man as the person to whom he would give the rest of his life to, as custom dictated for his banishment.

John had hated it with a passion, being called Master and over time the two came to a silent agreement. They became the best of friends. The title became more of an inside joke between them.

After John had cleared him for Torchwood he came under John's department and became the other resident 'alien'. Over the years he had become an alien/human relations expert at work and live in help at home.

After his clearance John had brought him home to help adjust to Earth, from one alien to another. It was then he met Rose Tyler. She was magnificent from the beginning and Helios couldn't remember in all his 700 years a couple who loved each other more than these two.

The home they invited him into was large, huge actually, resting on nearly 20 acres of prime land with a mansion but it was to be expected from the daughter of a powerful business man. Yet it never gave off the impression of being a large house for power. No, it was a home waiting to be filled with children and the way those two were Helios knew it wouldn't be long.

He had been right.

They had gotten married shortly after he had arrived- even stood up as a groomsman- and was there the night John came into the office with the stupidest largest smile he had ever seen on the man's face. 'Rose is pregnant' he said.

That was the first night of their seven year long tradition. First, getting piss drunk the night the couple announced each pregnancy and later on the night before the due date. They had been some of the most interesting conversations Helios had ever had with the man. He had shared all his inner worries and joys over his long, long life…things one would tell a best friend, something John said he had only really ever had in Rose.

For seven years Helios lived in that large house with the deliriously happy couple and their four boys, Jack Peter Tyler, Michael Jake Tyler, Ian Ace Tyler and John Junior –nicknamed JJ. Four perfect little hellion boys, something Helios had year of practice with after his own 10 sons. It had been great till that day just months before.

It was late March, a cold and icy and windy and snow late March storm. How the hell it popped up no one knew but either way Jack had an appointment to remove the leg cast. He never should have driven. Never. But that damn stubborn pig headed alien bastard had snuck from his sick bed to drive his child and wife to the hospital. Helios was supposed to have gone. It was his job to serve the family that had taken him in, not that it was much punishment but he felt responsible. His master was sick, sicker than he let on but man code dictated Helios couldn't share his friend's weakness. He had left Rose and Jack in the car, stepping out to let the other children know where they were going and that their father was still there but when he returned to the garage the car had gone and the man and family had peeled from the drive and out in the storm.

That phone call came three hours later.

Jackie called in hysterics then Pete took over the phone.

"Helios they're gone. All gone."

It had only gotten worse from there. Thank the gods Pete had a Torchwood team head over because by the time Helios and Pete got there a new Rose and Jack sat at the side of the road with the team diverting the regular authorities from asking why a dead woman and child were alive with new faces.

A taller fuller bodied reddish brown haired woman had thrown herself at him in tears. He remembered holding Rose close until Pete had things cleared up enough to take over father duties. Once he pulled away Helios felt the glare before he spotted the steel blue grey eyes.

Jack still sat on the road side with his arms wrapped around himself. Someone had given the boy a blanket but he had chosen to use it as a seat rather than warmth. Helios remembered sitting down next to the nearly seven year old boy and putting an arm around him. Jack, and the others for that matter, was his second try at having a family. These boys were his own. He had helped raise them as much as their own parents.

As soon as Helios had sat next to Jack the little boy, normally bright and smiles just leaned in next to him and stared at the snow covered ground. He was cold, was Helios first thought yet he didn't show any discomfort. Jack had changed, just like his mother had.

Years before, over drinks in celebration for Michael's birth, John had spilt thoughts and fears on his nearest and dearest alien friend. He had known there was a small possibility for his children to obtain his Gallifreyan genetics. However small he had known it was there.

He had been right. His wife had been altered by the Bad Wolf, by the TARDIS and his son had taken John's genes. They both now had been dealt new bodies, confused and without the one man who could have helped them understand what was happening to them.

Helios sighed again and finished off the bottle of whisky before pulling out another. He poured half the bottle on the ground again before taking a swig.

"Rose thinks the babe will be a Gallifreyan too, old man. She was pregnant at the accident. The little one died with her. Rose said she felt the change in the girl like she did in her own body."

Silence was his answer. It always was.

He drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around them. "The boys are doing alright considering…things. Jack though…oh John that poor boy is lost. Just stares around, doesn't say anything. He's hurt and confused but doesn't want to have anyone help him. Poor Rose is beside herself most days worrying about him. Jackie said that Jack reminded her of you. An old you apparently. All leather and frowns she said. I could never see you like that, old man."

A swig.

Hours passed in silence. The stone behind him remained cold no matter how much he warmed his body. His watch alarm went off three hours later before he moved again.

"Old man I better go. I have to get Mistress from her parents and get the young Masters to bed."

He rose and cracked his back. Stretching out and slowly pulling in his flame, returning to his normal looking tanned skin. Helios picked up his shirt and returned it, packed up the several empty bottles.

Red eyes swept over the headstone before walking away, heading home.

It was fitting, he thought walking towards the awaiting car, the stone. Rose insisted on the complex designs covering the black marble. It was Gallifreyan, Helios recognized it from his visits to the planet, his name she told him. The side with the writing faced to the planet far away. On the other side, facing his true home were the words written for all here.

_The Doctor. _


	4. Chapter 4Universe A

_May 2020_

Jackie Tyler was furious. The words 'Impossible, just simply impossible' ran through her head. The door slammed enough to shake her daughter's three story house, not even carrying after hearing glass shatter. Heels clicked on the wood floor as Jackie stormed her way to the back garden. Laughter stopped as the boys all stared at their grandmother storming into the yard. She glared at them then narrowed on her subject of furry sitting at the garden table in front of a pile of paperwork.

"Rose Marion Tyler what is the meaning of this!"

Rose looked up at her mother over the edge of her brown frames. She knew it would come up soon enough. Things never stayed a secret in her life for long. She turned away from her mother and to the white haired Helios sitting next to her. His red eyes relaxed and he gave his 'I got this' look to her before standing up and distracting the children.

Jackie slapped Helios cross the back of his head before sitting down across from her daughter.

"What the 'ell happened Rose?" she whispered.

Rose sighed and pushed back her thick cherry brown hair, wishing she had a tie for it. Glasses were thrown on the paperwork and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"He was expelled for beating the kids up."

"Oh Rose," Jackie breathed out.

She ran her hand through her hair and stopped to look over at Ian and JJ playing with Helios in the grass. Michael sat on the swing set yelling at his siblings.

"He broke two of the kids arms, all four of their noses and cracked ribs on them all besides the minor bruises and cuts. I had to pay the families so they wouldn't sue."

Jackie drew in a long deep breath and closed her eyes. She had gotten the call from Pete just an hour before that Jack had gotten in trouble at school and that Rose had to borrow a large sum without explanation. Being the push-over father he was he gave in but in that instant Jackie knew something horrible had happened to her oldest grandson and family after the last emergency phone call…

"Why?"

Rose shook her head. "Why else mum? He was being teased where he was. Even in that bloody school for gifted children he was still too smart for them. They apparently ganged up on him quite often. Jack never complained, no but Mickey had recently informed me Jack had been hiding all the cuts and bruises from these kids. He's held back for so long but one can poke the wolf for so long before it bites. And he doesn't know his own strength. He isn't human anymore."

"So where is he?"

"In his room. He refuses to speak with anyone. Not even Helios can get him too talk."

Rage came over Jackie, first with the children who hurt her only eleven year old grandson, their parents for not understanding the boy, then her daughter for reacting so dismissively and lastly for her grandson for not coming to anyone for help. She clenched her first and turned away from her daughter to look at her other grandsons playing.

Mickey had run from the swings to join in playing with his brothers and the tall white-haired, red eyed fire alien who her daughter trusted so much. Mic was a smaller build than his brothers even at ten to their eight and seven, fairer and always more quiet and clingy than the others. Ian and JJ were both handfuls on their own, full of energy and mischief. All four of the boys had varying brown hair with brown eyes; all took their colouring from their father. The only one who looked like a Tyler had been her one and only granddaughter, little Cassandra. Course they never would know how she turned out after disappearing through the Void a year ago. No way back, no way to get her. Rose had eventually attempted to explain to Jackie how the transport device was the very last of its kind and how she had rigged it to seal the Void behind itself. Hoped the device had done its job, it would have taken her directly to the TARDIS' signature. Hoped.

Rose shifted back in her chair and spun the pen.

"So what are you going to do with him?" Jackie asked.

"I'm going to enlist him at Torchwood under my jurisdiction and put him to work. He's smarter than half the people I have working for me and there he will be able to put his full potential to use."

"Rose he needs schooling."

"Mum he doesn't. He knows more than professors at the uni's. I know what is going through his head Mum and it's frustrating to go slow. I just feel is anger and pain and frustration at his inability to fully control himself, I know it's in his mind," she paused and chuckled dryly. "Now I understand why he was never able to sit still for long."

"Rose," she began.

"Mum it's what I've decided for my son. This is a lot for him to deal with without the added pressure of worrying about the other kids beating on him. It's not fair for him and…" she paused and trailed off.

Jackie noticed her daughter's gaze shift to the ring still on her finger, refitted of course for her new body.

"Mum he wouldn't have wanted Jack fighting. He wouldn't have wanted any of the children in that situation. And I can't figure out how teach them the passive way he always took. Even he said it had come to him with time. And me? In this regeneration and in my last I've been more likely to pop someone then talk my way out of it."

Jackie didn't disagree. She knew how her son-in-law had felt about violence, how unmoveable he had been against the thought of it. Not that she blamed him after what she had heard…

"Course Rose," she said.

"So Jack will be starting work next week. He's taking his levels and working on his university degree online at his own pace as well as helping some of the workers with formulas and things."

"Alright."

"You're being very compliant with this considering how you broke my front door."

Jackie blushed and tugged half her mouth down in a lop-sided frown.

"I'll pay for that."

Rose threw back her head and laughed.

"Mum?"

The Tyler women both turned around and spotted the lanky pre-teen and the object of their discussion. Jack stood with his hands in his loose denim trousers and his steel blue eyes staring down at his bare feet. His brown hair was shaved shorter than Jackie had last seen it and the large purple bruise on his cheek was new.

Rose held her hand out and beckoned for him to step forward. Her mind gently brushed his and he didn't snap back like he had earlier. Instead his mind reached for her and grasped it for comfort.

Jackie stood up and drew in her grandson in a tight embrace. It took a moment before she felt his skinny alien arms wrap around her.

"Hi Grandmum," he whispered and tightened his hold.

"You little alien gave me a scare."

"Sorry."

Jackie pulled back and stared into the blue eyes that looked at her. They were darker than normal. They reminded her of another damn skinny alien who looked back with those damn eyes. She tightened her grip on his arms and then slowly ran a hand over his bruise. He flinched but otherwise remained silent.

"Well Jack," Rose stood and wrapped her arms around herself. "What were you planning on doing?"

He sighed and ran a nervous hand over his scalp. "Well I already wrote my apologies to the kids and the families that the school required."

"Good," Rose nodded.

"Mum?"

Rose nodded again.

"I'm not going to school again am I?"

"Nope."

"Is it bad that I'm relieved?"

Jackie laughed and tucked him under her arm.

"You wouldn't be a Tyler if you didn't get into trouble at school young mister. I remember a call I got for your mother after she tugged a girl by her pigtails after a disagreement."

"Really?" Jack perked up.

Rose tightened her lips into a smile. "This is about Jack not me, Mum."

"Oh Rose let the bloody kid off."

"Mistress Rose? Mistress Jackie?"

The trio looked over to Helios who walked over with Ian and JJ held on either side under his arms. They squirmed and moved but couldn't escape their capture. Mic was close behind skipping three steps to Helios' one.

"I'm taking these three in for nourishment. Did you require anything?"

"We are fine Helios, thanks," Rose nodded and dismissed him.

"Oh, well," Jackie paused. "There might be some glass to clean up front."

Helios sighed and didn't even question the elder Tyler woman. It hadn't been the first time and he doubted it would be the last time she broke something in the house.

Rose waited till her other sons were out of ear shot before rounding on her eldest.

"You will not be returning to school no. But you will be reporting to Torchwood and working in the office helping the researchers. Any pay you would have received will go into a fund not accessed until you are twenty and you will complete all your levels online and if you so choose you can get a university degree, do it on your own time. Am I clear?"

Jack nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

"Good, now go help Helios. I'll be in in a moment."

A sigh of relief sounded in Rose's mind as Jack let the tension fade. His recent icy blue lines loosened and warmed to his usual yellow orange.

"God he is like his da isn't he?"

Rose tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah, he is."


	5. Chapter 5Universe 1

The Doctor had faced down pure evil before. Daleks, Cybermen, and thousands of others over hundreds of years and yet today he thought he finally, truly met his match. Impossible, he knew and yet the long blonde curls of his new companion had defeated him. Those golden locks were the epitome of evil. They had left him crying out in frustration enough that he had to storm away to the console room and Cassandra was left confused with a sad excuse for a part braid, part bun, part rat's nest in her hair.

That had been over an hour ago.

He was stalling. He didn't want to try again. The threat of failing horribly again loomed over his head.

The Doctor instead glanced across the TARDIS console at the little girl sitting on the jump seat, swinging her legs back and forth while looking about in awe. In the time he had stormed off to the control room she had dismantled his attempts to tame her golden hair leaving it loose but tangled and wild. She had crept in silently behind him nearly a half hour ago and took her place on the chair, staying out of his way as he jumped around the controls. Even after four months on the TARDIS, Cassandra still had moments where her bright brown eyes would widen with pure excitement as she sat in the control room.

The little girl had surprisingly taken well to life on the TARDIS, a little too well for his liking. Normally one having been ripped away from their family would be a bit more upset, have a few bad days but after that first day she had not spoken a word about the other world.

Which had led the Doctor to his recent idea for their next visit.

The TARDIS jolted, although never as harshly as she used to, as she landed and Cassandra's light giggle sounded in time with the ship.

"Where are we now, Doctor?" she asked.

"Wellll I thought I should…stop by and visit someone."

Cassandra jumped off the seat with a wide smile and bolted for the TARDIS door.

"Can I?" she looked back at him with wide brown eyes.

His hearts stopped at the thought of what would probably happen next. Slowly he nodded and sunlight streamed in through the open doors.

London was sunny and bright, a nice normal non-alien attacked day. He poked his head out of the TARDIS and shoved his hands in his pocket, walking down the deserted street. They had landed in a park just outside a quaint and quiet street. Laughs made the Doctor look about until he found Cassandra running through the play things.

He called for her and she bolted to his side, quickly taking up his larger hand in hers. He squeezed the smaller, finer hand then began the short walk. The large glass door stood before him much too soon and the cheerful door chime echoed through his mind.

"Well if it isn't the Doctor?" Micky Smith quickly opened the door then leaned against the frame. "What do you want?" his eyes stared the Doctor down. He hadn't changed much since the Doctor had last saw him, not at all really. He looked good though, healthy and relatively happy. The Doctor had known Micky had taken a well-paid job in mechanics that he had thrown the man's way and had moved into this neighbourhood a year or so ago, although the large paychecks doing free-lance alien work didn't hurt.

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his head.

"Can't I stop by for a cuppa?" he began, rocking back and forth on his trainers.

"You, Doctor, are not one just to stop by without some motive."

"Ah well…yes I guess I-."

"Doctor who's that?" Cassandra tugged on his hand and looked up at Mickey.

Mickey crossed his arms and tisked slowly at the Doctor. "Well Doctor I knew you went for the young ones but don't you think you've gone a bit too far?"

The Doctor scowled and shook his head. "Micky Smith meet Cassandra Tyler."

Mickey's eyes widened and he looked up and down the small blonde child. "Tyler?"

"Tyler."

"Well I guess you do have a reason to be here. Come on in then," he lazily stepped backwards and waited to close the door after the two stepped in the house. The Doctor ushered Cassandra before him and ended up in a sunny kitchen at the back of the town house. The entire place looked lived in and yet clean and quaint really.

"So," Mickey began. He paused to bounce around the kitchen and grab some mugs. "What's really going on?"

The Doctor sighed and took a seat at the small table in the nook. Cassandra too, jumped onto one of the chairs and began her usual inspection of her surroundings.

"I-."

"Damn it Mickey I thought I told you…Doctor what are you doing here?"

The Doctor looked from Cassandra to the doorway where Dr. Martha Jones stood dressed in her jams, her mouth wide open in shock.

"Stopped by for a visit?" he shrugged.

She pursed her lips and stepped into the room. Her observant eyes quickly spotted the raggedy haired child sitting at her table. A slender brow raised in question.

"And who's this?"

"I'm Cassandra Tyler," she answered.

"Oh Doctor," Martha shook her head and accepted a coffee from Mickey. "Couldn't you have gotten someone a bit older?"

"Oi!" he pointed at Martha.

She waved him off before he could defend himself. "And look at the poor thing. What did you do? Use the sonic on her hair?"

Cassandra giggled. "He tried."

Martha laughed and held a hand out for Cassandra. "How about we try and fix you up? I'm sure you'd like something done with your hair."

Cassandra's eyes flicked to the Doctor who nodded at the girl. She had learned quickly to trust him, which was a good thing because when she did jump at something, she plunged both feet first.

Quickly Cassandra jumped off the chair and took Martha's hand who led her back through the house.

"So what's all this about?" Mickey asked.

"She came through the Void. Used this," he rummaged through his pocket and dug out the small device he had found broken under Cassandra's body after she landed.

Mickey slowly moved to the open chair and picked at the device. "Well then she finished it didn't she?"

"What is it exactly?"

Mickey sighed and leaned back in the chair. "She was working on something for herself to get back here, but one that would seal the gap between the two worlds from the side it was activated on. If she got it to work right it means the gap can only be opened from the other side."

The Doctor groaned and rubbed at the back of his neck. "So it's impossible to get back."

Mickey shrugged and took a drink from his mug. "Well I'd normally say yes but this is you we are talking about…assuming you do want to send her back that is."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say I don't? I don't do domestic in case you haven't noticed."

"Oh I noticed. That poor girl's rat nest was proof enough."

"I tried at least," he grumbled.

"Trust me, one does not try with girl's hair. I remember when Rose tried to teach me to do things with her hair when we were kids. Total disaster. Jackie had to end up cutting her hair short to even it out. So why did you stop in then?"

"Honestly? It took me years to find something to get back to Rose before and I found nothing and now this? I know it will take a while even for me to find a way to get her back to her family so I though she needed someone normal in her life. She had a normal family before and stopping by somewhere with normal people and in a stable normal life would be good for her."

"So she is Rose's then? From the other side?"

"Yep."

"So that makes your double's…"

"Yep."

"So she's human then?"

"Nope."

"No?"

"Nope."

"How? Rose and the other bloke were both human so why isn't she?"

"Apparently something went wrong," he paused. Cassandra had only told him bare minimum details. Either Rose hadn't told the young girl anything either or Cassandra wasn't willing to divulge the information. "Apparently he died and so did Rose and another child. It changed the kids and Rose but he died."

"Rose," Mickey whispered. "Can anything go right round that girl?"

"Apparently not."

"So a normal life?"

"Well you were the only person who knew her mother and I thought you might be able to talk to her."

"And what do I know about talking to children, Doctor?"

"It was a long shot, alright? I'm just…not sure what to do with her."

"Well Martha is better with tots then I ever will be. She'll fix her up right."

"So Martha lives here?"

Mickey laughed. "That's one way of putting it. Actually we started seeing each other a bit after you dropped up off. It was hard coming back and it helped having someone to compare ridiculous lives with."

"Well that's…good."

"Yeah," Mickey whispered and circled his cup around. The two sat silent for a few moments before Mickey cleared his throat. "Did you want her to stay here Doctor? I mean, Martha and I can take her in. Let her stay here. At least until you find her a way back of course."

The Doctor had to keep from his mouth dropping at Mickey's suggestion. He had planned on visiting, yes, but letting Cassandra stay? Live on Earth with her mother's old flame and his new girl? No he couldn't. He was too selfish for it. Cassandra had wormed her way into his collapsing hearts and she had filled the void that leaving Rose on that beach one last time had created. The little girl was also Gallifreyan. She needed guidance and knowledge to control the power that she contained. No, she couldn't live here.

"Sorry Mickey but I can't. I'd love if she could visit though."

"Doctor, the two of you are welcome here anytime." He paused. "As long as you're not being followed by some crazy aliens that it. I try and separate home and work life."

The Doctor just laughed.

* * *

><p>Dr. Martha Jones stood behind the worst case of tangled hair she had ever seen in her life. She slowly worked through the knots on blonde hair as Cassandra sat silent. Most children by now would have been bawling and moving but she sat quietly, hands folded in her lap allowing Martha to tug and pull as she wished.<p>

It had been a surprise to see him sitting in her kitchen. Although she knew he would never be able to stay away for forever. He was too lonely to do that.

Martha bit her lip and tugged a bit more, whispering apologies to the girl.

A _Tyler_ then. Questions flew through Martha's mind as to who the girl really was and if she was one of the _Tyler's_ then what was she doing in this dimension? How did she come to meet up with the Doctor and what was he going to do with her?

Her mind wandered through many situations by the time she placed the brush down on the table. Cassandra quickly ran her hand over the simple French braid that Martha had finished and turned around with a large smile.

"Thank you Miss," she giggled and jumped off the chair to hug Martha.

She patted the young girl's head and smile, this girl was infectious.

"You can call me Martha."

"I'm Cassandra," she paused. "But I already said that didn't I?"

Martha nodded and knelt down to her level. "Where is your mum little girl?"

She shrugged. "On the other side of the Void. That's what the Doctor said."

Of course he would give her direct answers, no sugar coating here.

"How did you get here?"

"I touched mummy's button that she said not to. It flashed me to the TARDIS and the Doctor let me stay."

"How long ago was that?"

" Four months, nine days and roughly fourteen hours."

"Don't you miss your parents?"

"I miss my mum. I never knew my father."

What had _happened?_ "I'm sorry."

She shrugged and began looking around the room. "It's s'ok. I'm not sad about it. Mum is when sometimes but I don't remember him."

"Oh," was all she could say. She remembered that day, the meta-crisis clone standing around with the rest of them. He had helped save the Earth and gotten his girl only to be ripped from his love and a child?

"Well none of us do really…Jack maybe a little bit," Cassandra continued. She had moved from simple looking at things in the family room to lifting items and picking up pictures.

"Siblings?"

"Yep," a familiar pop came from her little lips. "Jack 'n Mic 'n Ian 'n JJ then me." She continued her search of photos and paused at one. Her fingers trailed over it slowly before putting it down again.

Martha glanced at the photo. It had been one she had quickly snapped before the world-saving group departed. Several of the members were standing in the control room of the TARDIS, including the Doctor, Rose and the meta-crisis Doctor standing near Jackie and Mickey.

"Do you miss home?" Martha asked. She picked up the photo and held it out for Cassandra. The girl held the picture and ran a small finger over the other Doctor and Rose, her father and mother. God, she may look like a child but some of the emotions that crossed her face… that came from her mouth seemed like someone much older. Was that from her being different? Or was it from the environment she lived in?

"I miss my mum and brothers and grandmum Jackie and grandpa Pete and cousin Tony and mum's friends from work," she started then opened and quickly closed her mouth. Her small hands pulled the braid forward and she played with the plaited hair, "but I like travelling with the Doctor. Is that bad?"

Martha drew in a deep breath and shook her head. "I can't say, Cassandra."

"Did you travel with the Doctor?"

"Yeah, for a bit at least. But I got a job as a medical doctor, helped save the world a couple times then I stopped and got married to Mickey."

Brown eyes widened and her smile returned. "That's good."

Silence filled the small room again. Cassandra replaced the photo then looked behind Martha and waved.

Martha turned around and saw the Doctor standing in the doorway. He hadn't changed at all. Hair still perfectly messy and hands stuffed in the pockets of his brown suit. A ghostly smile cross his lips while looking at the pair.

"Well that looks more like it," he finally said.

"Martha fixed it!" she skipped towards him and spun around. "See! I like it like this. You have to learn how to do it."

Martha's mouth dropped at the cheerfully demanding tone and she hid a laugh behind her hand. "Yeah Doctor I think you need some lessons."

His eyes narrowed, shooting daggers and she stifled another laugh.

"What? Even Mickey can make a braid," she continued.

"How about we just stop by if it gets that bad, or better yet you can teach her."

"Why does this sound like you're inviting yourself over?"

He shrugged. "Well I think I can contain myself but…"

Cassandra tugged on his arm. "I want to come back and see Martha."

"See Martha, you've already infected the poor child. It looks like we'll have to drop by."

Martha stood and met the Doctor, eye to eye. The pained brown that had looked back at her before was no longer there, traces maybe but there was a light in the chocolate again.

"I guess you two might as well stay for dinner then."

"We'd be happy too."

* * *

><p>Hi everyone! Thanks for the reviews so far and please keep them coming, people nagging me tends to make me write more. So sorry this took awhile, I've been crazy midterms and now I'm getting crazy into papers so here is this one and another to come shortly. So please keep reading and having wonderful days :)<p> 


	6. Chapter 6Universe A

_August 2024_

"You, little nephews, are so screwed," seventeen year old Tony Tyler shook his blonde head.

"Us?" JJ, the youngest at eleven, yelped.

"You are just as screwed as we are," Ian muttered. "You helped get us into this."

"Yeah mum is so easy on us compared to Nan," fourteen year old Mic reminded.

"Yeah grandmum might kill you coz you're her kid. We are the sweet grandkids so we're fine." JJ laughed.

Tony scowled and lightly punched his nephew in the stomach before returning his brown eyes to their situation. Jack was in a body bag. Yeah their plans hadn't gone as they had thought after all…

It had started out simple enough. Procure one of his father's many cars for the afternoon and skip school to take his best friends/ nephews out to the new shopping center/ amusement park for the day. Sure, he only had a beginners but he'd been driving around their family property for years gaining experience enough to avoid getting caught for the day. Everything had worked out well till a rouge shooter had taken hostages and stupid Jack thought he should be all brave and take the guy down. He succeeded alright but was shot in the process and promptly died. Now they had a regenerated Jack stuck in a body bag surrounded by the police.

Their cover was blown.

"Ok well back to the point is we're screwed," Tony ran a hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall.

"You think?" Mickey bit out. While normally unflappable, Mickey's temper once lost was unsalvageable. "My brother is in a body bag."

"I know," Tony muttered.

"And he's regenerated."

"I know."

"We hope," Ian put in, rubbing the back of his neck casually.

"Don't even go there," Tony threatened. Sure they all had grown up believing Jack and Rose had been fully changed but no one knew for sure. But the glowing light he quickly saw had to mean something right?

"Do we call Mum and Grandda? Do we call someone from Torchwood for a diversion?" Mic offered.

"I vote for Helios," Ian put in.

"I'd go for him too," JJ nodded.

Tony shrugged and eyed the black bag best he could between the crowd of people and police. Helios would seem like a good first choice but he'd report right back to the Tyler matriarchs and knowing them they would be pissed knowing the boys didn't call them first. Sneaking was one thing not tolerated by Tyler women.

"You think he could just slip out?" JJ asked.

Tony shook his head. "They don't really make those to be opened from the inside, JJ. And even if he could its crazy crowded."

"Oh, right…" the youngest Tyler sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. Tony groaned and ruffled JJ's messy brown hair.

Damn why had Jack gone and done that? Only fifteen and already in his third regeneration. His sister had once said a Time Lord could live hundreds of years for each regeneration, living thousands of years total. Jack had an average of five years per regeneration. Pretty shitty stats if you asked him. Damn kid wouldn't make it to seventy at this rate.

"We're going to have to call someone, Tone," Ian insisted.

Tony eyed the stern golden brown eyes that stared him down at twelve years old. What to do?

* * *

><p>Jack groaned and rubbed at his closed eyes. Larger hands, he noticed. Hands belonging to someone else, not to him. He felt heavier, thicker and damn tired. Skimming the new hand over his chest he felt for the bloody wound only to come back with nothing. No blood and no pain. God damnit, another regeneration…another one that was his fault.<p>

The first one had ended up killing not only himself but his mother and father, effectively ruining their entire family. He had insisted on getting the leg cast off after weeks in the awkward thing, not caring about his family's safety. His mum had insisted if wasn't his fault, he was only six at the time but he knew better.

The second, this one, had been an instinctive reaction and although he had technically helped people, he knew his mother would probably smack him upside the head followed by his grandmum's famous cross the cheek smack.

Jack had known something was wrong, just _wrong_. His mind had begun to race as though it had sensed something evil around him and his family. He had most definitely felt the crazed and manic emotions of the shooter before he saw him. Fear and betrayal, anger and pure hate had turned Jack's vision red, the normally silver and golden threads of normal time had paused and flared, coming together at the chest of the man. His eyes had seen the flash of silver in the bright sun and he could see the actions before they happened. Jack slowed down time and watched the path the bullet would take, the implication if it would hit the young couple that the shooter aimed for. If they died then in five generations the young doctor who would cure most forms of cancer would never be born and the actions tumbled in on each other in a domino effect.

No, he had to stop this. Too many people's lives were at stake.

He had lunged with in-human speed and tackled the larger man. The shot ran through his ears and the pain was instant. He coughed and blood had spattered all over the pavement but he had effectively knocked the gunman down and out. Killed himself in the process sure but he'd survive…hopefully. They never really knew how many regenerations he would have.

Apparently he had at least three.

Jack opened his eyes and had to blink a few times to realize that either this body was blind or he was in a body bag.

He opted for body bag.

Shit now what?

Jack ran through the options he had. Either sit around and wait till someone opened up the bag then give said person a heart attack as he jumped up alive and well or yell for someone to open up the damn bag but then have the medics ask how they put in a dead teen to have it be replaced with another person. He could always say he was a magician. The next Chris Devil? Dane Blade? No.

He didn't have to wait for an answer.

The bag slowly unzipped and the round face of a middle aged female medic stared down at him. He opened his eyes and blinked at the bright sun, scaring the poor woman but he took that moment to fumble and tip out of the bag. The concrete ground was harder than it looked. His newly developed and sensitive nerves quickly over fired messages of pain to his brain. Clumsily and not quickly enough to avoid attention, Jack got his legs under him and he bolted into the large crowd who were still gathered thickly around the scene. His larger body felt crushingly heavy and impossible to move, clothing too tight against larger legs and torso. Energy boiled up inside and he paused, doubled over and expelled some glowing light. Jack looked up into the terrified eyes of a small kid who he weakly smiled at before trudging through the mass again.

"Jack!"

Jack whipped his head around, brain rattling around from the sudden movements. Vertigo made his eyes spin and his head lightened. The pain rushed down his body letting his legs give out. Solid arms caught his right side and another set hoisted up his left.

"Goddamn Jacky can't I take you anywhere?"

Jack rolled his eyes at Tony's sarcastic tone. Tony's grip tightened as Jack tripped over his own feet again.

Tony shook his head and caught sight of a couple staring at them.

"Damn kid can't hold his drinks, honestly," he laughed. The two just shook their heads and walked towards the growing group.

"Let's just get him out of here," Mickey's hard voice rang from the other side in Jack's ears.

"Not so loud guys," he muttered before slowly drifting out.

Tony just tightened his grip on the kids arm and dragged Jack towards the parking lot. Ian and JJ trailed behind, both glancing around for authorities like good watch kids. Only a twenty feet left till the SUV and they'd be home…

"Shit," Mickey groaned.

Tony looked up and spotted someone standing next to the SUV. The blue green eyes of Pete Tyler stared him down. It was very rare for his father stare his son down with that look. His board members, advisors and during Torchwood missions maybe but never at Tony. No one uttered a word as the boy finally reached the SUV and quickly move to place the now unconscious Jack into the back seat.

The door opened before Tony could grab for the handle and Helios stepped out of the vehicle to take Jack. The alien easily picked up the now taller boy and carefully placed him in. Tony ran his hand through his hair and looked over at Helios. Stark silver white hair was pulled back into a long tight tail, streamlining his sharply angled face. Pale skin over his lean form made his blood red eyes glow and while he appeared to be a light weight Tony knew the fire-elemental could pack a mean punch. Not to mention he was damned good with a gun, which, as Tony quickly noticed, was at his waist as always.

A harsh and interrupting cough erupted form the front of the truck. Ian and JJ had fled into the car leaving Mickey and Tony to face him alone.

"Normally I'd just turn a blind eye to you boys," he began. "Trust you enough and all."

Tony winced at his father's tone but Mic just stood straighter with his arms crossed. Fire burned in those brown eyes.

"But I can't this time boys. You all could have been hurt worse for something as stupid as playing hooky."

"Sorry father," Tony spoke up and looked into his father's eyes. They watered lightly but his deep frown remained.

"Sorry grandfather," Mickey echoed.

"That sure as shit isn't going to cover it boys," he explained. "You scared the living hell out of me."

"How…"Mickey began but turned around at the interrupting cough. Helios stood at the side of the SUV with a solemn look on his face and his arms crossed.

"Helios was good enough to trust his instincts and follow you boys. Thank god he did or we could have had an even worse problem on our hands. Right now I'm having a hard enough time deciding whether to thank god you're alright or smack you for how stupid you were. You, Tony, know better than sneaking away." Pete shuffled and rubbed a hand over his face then stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his son and grandson. "Good god I could have lost any of you."

"You didn't Dad. Jack saw to that."

Pete pulled away and sighed. "I know. And I am truly grateful that he is who he is."

* * *

><p>She had been awoken in the same way she fell asleep. The same day too, in the ritual she had come to adopt on this one day every year, their anniversary. Bright brown eyes flickered over the large TV screen in her bedroom. His smile widened and the speakers attempted to capture the life in his voice. Family tapes played on loop. Christmases, Birthdays, weddings, their wedding –her favorite- and random days –his favorite- of the two of them and later on with the boys. The day that played across the screen was from the first few days after their wedding, the two of them still glowing and playfully teasing after their honeymoon.<p>

"Rose give it to me." He stood before her with his hand held out for the camera. Naked from the waist up with his hair still wet from their morning shower. John made a lunge for the camera and the camera shook as she ran around the kitchen island to avoid him. The clip ran for several more minutes until he eventually caught her and turned the camera off. Rose smiled as she remembered what followed after.

A knock came.

"Come in," she slowly shifted in bed and straightened her rumbled clothing. Her long red brown hair had come loose from its constraints and she finished the job, pulling the band from the tangled mess. Nearly 24 hours in bed did not agree with her.

Helios stood in the doorway with a silver tray in hand. His eyes were soft and understanding as they swept across the carnage of tapes and photos and boxes of tissues, stepping past the piles of used tissues and clothing. A soft clang was made as the tray was placed on the bed.

"There has been a situation Mistress."

Rose rubbed at her eyes and picked up the mug of tea waiting on the tray. She drew her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around them, slowly drinking the tea.

"What happened today?"

Helios stood before her, blocking the view of the telly, and crossed his arms. Red eyes narrowed into his serious face, something she hadn't seen in a while.

"Your sons happened."

Ah, back to a one on one level now…this had to be serious.

"What did they do now?" She unfolded her legs and picked at the fruit placed on the tray.

"Jack had another regeneration today."

Rose's hand stilled.

"The boys and your brother went to the park and had a run in with a shooter. Jack jumped in front of the man."

Rose dropped her tea and bolted for the door but fell flat as she tripped in the tangled sheets half off the bed. Helios caught her quickly and steadied Rose. He wouldn't let go.

"Rose we need to talk."

She pushed and pulled his arms away from her waist but failed. The Helionsentrian was far stronger than even her stronger than human body.

"Let me go Helios."

His grip tightened for a moment then loosened. Placing her upright for a second before Rose bolted through the house. Once she left the room her senses took over and guided her feet to her son's room. The door was already cracked open and her eyes fell to the boy -man- sleeping on the bed.

He really hadn't changed. Rose bit at her lip and ran a hand lightly over her eldest son's new face. Changed, no. Grown? Yes. Jack now had the mature body of a man in his mid-twenties rather than the young teenager he really was. A fuller more grown up face had replaced the boyish look but he still had the same lines and nose and ears, his lanky awkward teenage body had filled out into a tall and lithe man. She ran her hand down the side of his face and choked down a cry. This was his second regeneration already.

Another knock interrupted her thoughts. Rose glanced over her shoulder at her father. Pete slumped against the doorframe with a frown.

"Is he going to be okay?" he asked.

"Not too sure. Our last regeneration didn't take us down for more than an hour or so but the Doctor's last…" she trailed off.

Pete pushed himself off the frame and slowly strode over. He grasped Rose's shoulder and tightened his grip.

"He did a good thing Rose. He saved someone."

"I still could have lost him. We don't know how many he has and with every one…I could really loose him."

"He is a good strong kid, Rose. They all are. You have good boys. Each of them would have done the same if they had seen it happen."

"That's what scares me. They all would rush into situations I'm not sure they can really handle."

"If I may?"

The Tyler's turned to see Helios once again standing in the doorway. Rose was taken aback at his stance and stare. This was not the male she had come to love like family, who was a best friend to her husband and the man who helped her pick up the pieces after he passed. This man, this male alien was

"Rose Tyler I propose training your sons."

* * *

><p>Hello again! Sorry for the long delay but things came up (including a crashed hard drive -.- ) so here's a little piece with more to come. Please review as the writing goddess in my head demands sacrifice...<p> 


	7. Chapter 7-Universe 1

"Are you sure we should be doing this?"

The Doctor looked down at his little 10 year old companion and smiled. Cassandra knew that smile by now and sighed, shaking her head.

"Now, now Cassandra don't be like that. This will be fun."

She blew at the loose strand of darkening blonde hair that had fallen against her nose then followed the Doctor down the stone path, hands in her coat jacket.

They had landed a few hours before in what appeared to be the gardens of a luxurious palace. 1745 France he had told her. Versailles to be precise. After a quick tour of the grounds- very detailed which made her think he had been here several times before- they had wandered into the stables. That was where they spotted him. The impressive Andalusian that stood tacked in the cross ties of the impressive stable.

The Doctor walked up to the stallion and rubbed at his face, a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Why hello old boy. It's been awhile hasn't it?"

"You've meet before?"

The Doctor looked down at Cassandra and raised a brow. "Yes in fact. Although it was a few years ago now."

"How did you meet? Are you sure it's this horse?"

"Of course he is. This is Arthur. Arthur, this is Cassandra," he patted the stallion on the neck gently. "We met on a ship, the SS _Madame de Pompadour_. Had a lot of fun there, didn't we? Well….more like we will as he hasn't been there yet."

"What?" Cassandra sputtered out before she could stop herself. She shook her head as he broke off into a long winded tangent. Time…sometimes, it gave her headaches.

Arthur shook his head to interrupt the Doctor's rant.

"So what do we do then?"

His smile and glowing eyes were her answer.

* * *

><p>"Come on Arthur," Cassandra pulled on his reins as the grey stallion paused in protest. She blew at the loose hair again and looked ahead to where the Doctor popped in and out of view. They had been searching for nearly three hours.<p>

"Have you found where it is yet?" she asked.

"Nearly."

"What does the portal look like?"

"No idea."

"I thought you said you did this before."

"I have."

"So don't you know?"

Silence. She sighed and pulled on the poor horse again. Arthur gently pushed her shoulder with his nose and she swore she heard him mutter 'idiot' before he continued to follow the mad man. The night had come and it began to get cold, apparently the French summers were not as warm as she thought. The grounds were quiet but from her spot in the massive lawn Cassandra could see the bright lights coming from the palace.

"I wonder what it's like in there?" she mused. She could just imagine the beautiful ball gowns and polite conversation, the tea and cakes. The feeling like a princess…some days a girl just wants to be a princess. When you were a princess, you found your prince. 10 years old she may have been but Cassandra knew- somewhere inside her- that she would meet her prince one day there. Arthur nudged her gently and she looked up to see the Doctor ducking out of sight once again.

"Ah ha!"

Cassandra followed the sound and stopped as she collided with his pinstriped back.

He had stopped before a large row of hedges with no break in sight.

"Are you sure this is it?" Cassandra looked closely at the spot and found nothing in particular about it.

The Doctor placed his hand gently on her shoulders and bent down to look at her eye to eye. A light smile crept onto his face and his brown eyes lit up.

"Are _you_ sure it isn't?"

Cassandra looked into his eyes for any hesitation. Finding none, she looked behind him and focused. At first the hedge row looked the same, green and leafy then something caught her eye. A quick flash nearly made her jump as her mind caught an overwhelming glimpse of…of it all. The area was grey and dark, it warbbled and wibbled in a large circle. The feeling of right and wrong, of left and right at the same time pulling her in both directions along with the need to stay firmly planted, run away and run forward all raced through her mind. It wasn't wrong entirely per say but it was wrong for here.

The Doctor's hand on her shoulder tightened in a comforting way and he gently rested his forehead against hers. Slowly things began to calm and the feeling of being pulled in every direction lessened until the passage was simply grey ribbons floating softly under their powers, crossing the times and space.

"Don't jump both feet first in next time little one," the Doctor whispered.

Cassandra nodded and closed her eyes. She focused on herself, on her center and the soft red light that was hers created the barrier once again that held the overwhelming concepts of this world at bay. The Doctor's own blue -which had changed from the icy sharp to a calmer and softer tone- help guide and fix any weakness she had left.

Once her mind was firmly back in place he took her step by step on how to carefully check for these weaknesses in time. It was a learning process but something that the Doctor took in stride, not pushing but not holding back her curiosity.

"There," he said once the lesson was over, "much better."

Cassandra nodded as he rose to his full height and turned to the patient horse.

"Now Arthur," the Doctor paused and plucked an apple from a nearby tree, waving it before the horse. "See this nice apple, this is going in my pocket," he slipped it into his right pocket. "Look for it there."

The horse quickly followed his advice and lipped at the pocket.

"Not yet. Go look in his pocket," the Doctor pulled at the reins to guide the horse into the hedge row then pointed down the passage. "Down there I'll be with an apple, now go and do your business."

The grey stallion paused before trotting into the vast metal ship, disappearing into another century.

"So what is he off to do?" Cassandra asked. She peered down the passage but only saw darkness, wondering what would follow in the time stream.

"He will do what he is meant to do because we put him there because I knew that I saw him there."

"Self-fulfilling cycle?"

"Yep." He ruffled her loose hair. "You're learning quickly, little one." 

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><p>Hello everyone! I'm not dead! :) (surprise) Thanks to all those who have recently found this and reviewedfavorited. It really gave me the kick in the butt to finish this chapter. I'm just finishing up with school and starting exams in a week so hopefully I'll be up adn writing again shortly. I have this whole thing planned out so I will get this done...I'm not giving up on it because I love it too much. So again thanks to all those who reviewed/favorited and thanks to all those who might for this chapter as well. Please do so ...I hate the author plead but for me it really kicks my butt into gear.


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